Holidaymaking Brits spend £144M replacing forgotten items

Nathan Sandhu

British sun-seekers spend a staggering £144 million each year replacing their items they have forgotten to pack for their holidays.

More than half of the nation’s holidaymakers (53 per cent) have left behind a major item which they had meant to take on holiday with them.

The most commonly forgotten items were clothing (20 per cent), followed by glasses and sunglasses (15 per cent), phone chargers (13 per cent) and toothbrushes (12 per cent).

Around 10 per cent of travellers admit to having left behind vital medication or contraception.

The survey of 2,000 British holidaymakers by FlightDelays.co.uk found that four out of five sunseekers who misplaced an item bought a replacement.

They spent an average of £27.35 doing so.

But not only are there worries about forgetting personal items; two thirds of Brits spend their flight worrying about whether they have left electrical items on at home or forgotten to lock the doors.

The survey also revealed that over a third (37 per cent) of Brits go on holiday twice a year, with the average holiday costing £836 not including the £408 spending money.

Steve Phillips, at flight compensation expert Flightdelays.co.uk, said: “Booking a holiday abroad can cost a heck of a lot, especially when you consider flights, hotels, insurance and entertainment for the kids.

“The good news is, it’s not all doom and gloom if you’ve forgotten items and your flight was delayed, as you are entitled to compensation if your flight arrived or departed from an EU-based airport in the last six years.”